What is rabies?

Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease that is transmissible to all mammals, including humans. It infects mammals when the rabies virus enters a victim’s nervous stem, typically via an animal’s bites or scratches. Rabies can also be transmitted by the saliva of a rabid animal through another mammal’s existing open wound. There are no effective treatments once clinical signs are seen. Two human rabies deaths have been attributed to bat rabies in New York State in 1993 and 1995.

Animals with rabies may act abnormally. Some may be aggressive and try to bite. They may act timid, move slowly or act tame. Although wild animals may........

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